New York Weddings

Not only is Judy Pak taking over our Instagram account today, but she’s sharing this wedding best described by the bride as “old world vintage romance.” Set at the ever-charming Alder Manor, it strikes the perfect balance of moody romance, and features steal-worthy moments like the bride’s hair by Face Time Beauty and a three-tier confection from our friends at Sweet Grace. Peek in THE VAULT, and get your afternoon of inspiration started.

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From The Bride… Philip and I met at the end of 2012, when I didn’t anticipate I’d meet the one any time soon. But as soon as I walked into one of my favorite neighborhood spots and saw him reading a book while waiting for me for our first date, I knew it was going to be the start of something special. One year later we were engaged and started the whirlwind of wedding planning.

I had grand visions of a destination wedding in Tuscany with intricate vines climbing up the walls of a private estate and secret gardens as our backdrop. Little did I know that we would be able to find the same mysterious beauty and grandeur right outside of New York City at Alder Manor. The mansion was transitioning to new ownership with renovations planned so we held our breath for months hoping we could secure the venue. We are so glad that it worked out, even before any renovations to its original early-twentieth century charm. With a venue like that, it was easy to find inspiration.

Since we had a year and a half engagement, I had enough time to slowly collect little beautiful trinkets as I came across them. I was inspired by the eclectic landscaping of the venue with its collection of Roman artifacts and sculptures and the ceremony area with columns modeled after a theatre in Athens. I realized everything I was drawn to fit an Old World vintage romance theme which perfectly accented the mansion. The whole process was really a labor of love with my sister hand-drawing and designing all of the paper goods from the invitations to the menus and Philip helping me to spray paint lanterns gold on the weekends and meticulously constructing our programs together on his days off.

However, all of the details really couldn’t replace the feeling that day as I walked down the aisle with all of the faces of our closest family and friends joyously watching and the unexpected emotion that Philip showed that day. We both are more practical than emotional and always joke about our robot hearts (it even made a cameo in our vows), but we really surprised ourselves with how much we were impacted by this moment. We were not just overwhelmed with joy by the deep commitment we were making to each other, but felt so grateful to our wonderful support system who will be with us through our lifelong journey!

Photography: Judy Pak Studio | Cinematography: Art Line Studio, Inc | Coordination: Exquisite Affairs Productions | Floral Design: Sprout | Wedding Dress: Reem Acra | Cake: Sweet Grace, Cake Designs | Shoes: Antonio Melani "Leena" | Catering: Chefs At Work | Makeup: Renee Lee | Hair: Face Time Beauty Concierge | DJ: Play Something Good | Venue: Alder Manor | Hairpiece: Percy Handmade | Photo Booth: The Photo Booth Shop

It’s not every day we see a dark and moody wedding day done so very right, and you better believe we’ll be staring at this indoor beauty designed by Ever Swoon for a good, long while. Dressed up with shades of maroon and gold at the elegant Alder Manor, it’s all the feelings of autumn rolled up in one gallery by Jen Huang. Right this way for SO much more.

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From Jen Huang…A moody yet romantic wedding at Alder Manor. Andria and Clifford reside in Hong Kong but chose to celebrate with their close friends and families at this antiquated manor. Shadowy florals and dark shades or maroon appeared throughout the decor. Andria wore an non-traditional gown in a cafe au lait tone with a bit of sparkle.

The couple was married outdoors but guests were ushered into a wood paneled ballroom for dinner amongst tall candelabras. A rare indoor wedding with beautiful light and tones.

Photography: Jen Huang Photography | Cinematography: DP Studios | Event Planning: ever swoon | Floral Design: G! Designs | Invitations: Invitations By Ana | Catering: Chefs At Work | Hair And Makeup: Vensette | Entertainment: Starrock Productions | Venue: Alder Manor

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Photography

Jen Huang Photography

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There is something about old estates that I find so intriguing. They have a romance within themselves, and this wise couple knew not to compete with that beauty. They used Alder Manor as the perfect inspiration for their beautiful day and the finished result is an effortless masterpiece. Isabelle Selby captured it all and we’ve gathered these works of art in one perfect place for us all right here!

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From The Bride… Brandon and I have one of those whirlwind romance stories – we were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend and after much resistance finally met. After that night we were completely inseparable! We were engaged a year later in December of 2012. The most vital piece of the puzzle was finding the venue. We searched high and low – typical catering halls, eclectic spaces, destination – but nothing felt quite right. I love to peruse blogs of all kinds and I stumbled upon this hidden gem, Alder Manor. We set up a walk through and instantly fell in love. It was unique and stunning, it just fit our personalities. I love the grandeur of the property – once a luxurious weekend home of a mining tycoon with sculptured gardens, an organ built into the walls and even an indoor pool! It now lays in somewhat ruin giving it a tragic but romantic feel that I just couldn’t get out of my head. To give ourselves a bit more planning time we opted for an early June 2014 wedding which turned out to be a spectacular day! I know June weather can be fickle but we really lucked out – it was a beautiful and mild.

I was asked so many times what the theme was and I never had a direct answer for that. The venue really set the tone – we just wanted it to be beautiful and romantic and Alder Manor does that all on its own. Our invitations were very soft so we decided to carry that throughout the day. We picked light colors, mint green and pale pink – they really complemented the garden-like feel of the outdoor space and ceremony. They also inspired the flower arrangements and our DIY projects. We wanted to put our touch on the day so we created the programs, place cards, seating chart, cake toppers and ribbon wands. It was a true labor of love and made seeing all the details come together in such a special way so rewarding!

The emotion of the day was so overwhelming – I will carry that feeling with me throughout our life together. I’m so grateful for everyone that made our day so memorable and complete!

From Isabelle Selby Photography… I could ramble on about Maureen and Brandon for quite some time, but I’ll try to keep this short as Maureen has already so eloquently told you about their day. I’ve been to a lot of weddings and the effortlessness and calm that Maureen had throughout the day was really stunning. They were both glowing and I was just so impressed by the way that they truly were enjoying the day and staying present. When I first met Maureen she told me about Alder Manor in a way that the art history nerd in me went ecstatic. An old estate that she wanted to let do the talking for their day and she was spot on. The history of the manor and the beautiful details don’t need to be overshadowed and the soft pinks and mint throughout the wedding only exemplified the estate’s natural beauty.

There was so much about the day that I loved documenting, but a few things that stood out were the very apparent love between the two of them as well as the families and friends, the ceremony that included a shout out to their beloved dog who wasn’t present, the beautiful manor and the dancing. They are incredible dancers and the guests would cheer along, which made it ten times more exciting. All in all it was a day that felt truly genuine and full of love. Congratulations, Maureen + Brandon!

Photography: Isabelle Selby Photography | Coordination: Jennifer Dukham | Floral Design: Sprout Home | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge | Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar | Invitations: Lion in the Sun | Ceremony: Alder Manor | Reception: Alder Manor | Shoes: Sophia Webster | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Chefs At Work | Makeup: Christina Amador | Hair Stylist: NY Prostyle | DJ: DJ Shakey | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Bridesmaid Robes: Designs By Celia

I adore historic homes.  And by “adore,” I mean I am completely, totally, once was a tour guide obsessed. So give me a gorgeous wedding held at a mansion filled with history (I’m talking to you, Alder Manor) and you’ll see a blogger who is the epitome of happy.  Now add in an adorable duo and the talented Yellow Hook Productions to that already fabulous setting and… wow.  Press play to see what I mean.

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From Yellow Hook Productions… The wedding took place in June at the Alder Manor Mansion in Yonkers, New York. Vanessa (originally from Puerto Rico) and Nathan (from England) met in acting school and wanted their DIY wedding to have a touch of old-Hollywood charm. The day included a garden ceremony,
strung lights on the mansion patio, chandeliers, projected films, a Bentley limousine, a banquet-hall dinner, an elaborate choreographed first-dance, and a sparkler-wielding crowd seeing them off.

The old mansion and grounds were incredibly picturesque in a worn-and-weathered kind of way. The crowd was a lively mix of people flying in all the way from England and Puerto Rico – some of whom hadn’t seen the couple in years – and their personalities are palpable on camera.

Photography: Michael George | Cinematography: Yellow Hook Productions | Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Shoes: Lauren Jones | Bracelet: Regina B. | Hair and Makeup: BBD Makeup and Hair Design | Earrings: M&J Bridal Salon | Mansion: Alder Manor | Tiara: Bridal Styles Boutique

When I see the words “romance” and “manor” in the same sentence, my heart explodes.  Seriously, it does. Maybe it’s the Jane Austen lover in me, but historic homes rock my world.  Also rocking my world?  This gorgeous wedding.  It’s romance and then some with about one million reasons to fall helplessly in love. See it all captured perfectly by Elisabeth Millay right here.

And a sweet film from Atlantica Pictures…

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From the Bride… Marc and I met through friends four years ago in New York City. Falling in love in this city has to be one of the biggest highlights of our life so far – there are so many things to discover together that have made building our relationship so magical. When we got engaged we knew we wanted to have our wedding in the same city we fell in love. Marc is from Seattle and I am from Omaha so it was an easy decision to make, being that our guests would be traveling from all over.

It took some time to find a wedding venue, but it was worth the search! We wanted our guests to feel truly in the moment, without the distraction and noise of the city. Alder Manor is a 30-minute train ride away so it allowed us to create an intimate event for the evening, with our guests having easy access to the city for the rest of the weekend. Alder is a gem. The minute we pulled up to the mansion we knew this place was special. Everything about the house is so romantic – from the garden, to the grand foyer, to the libraries. Being there makes you feel as though you were transported back in time, and what a cool vibe for a wedding!

Everything about the day was perfect. I was realistic with my expectations and figured one thing would have slipped, but nothing went wrong! Each and every one of our vendors blew us away, and I think my jaw dropped continuously as the details unfolded.

Marc and I entered our marriage with the type of memories we never could have anticipated from one single day. We knew if this was any indication of our upcoming life together, then we are in for a treat.

Photographer: Millay & Young Photography | Videographer: Atlantica Pictures | Floral Design: Sprout Home | Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: A Little Cake | Invitations: Hazelwonderland | Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters | Catering: Chefs At Work | Hair And Makeup: NY Prostyle | DJ: Play Something Good | Ceremony Music: Matt Davis | Wedding Venue: Alder Manor | Dy Of Coordination: Jen Grignoli, Perfect Pink Peony | Veil: Vera Wang

Art Deco is making a huge come back right now, and it’s weddings like this one from Jonathan Young Weddings that is leading the way. Gilded details are only enhanced by the collected, romantic pieces from Brilliant Event Planning brought to the table, and the whole thing has an air of passion that will draw you right in.

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From the bride… Our shindig went down on April 20, 2013 at Alder Manor, a crumbling-but-gorgeous manor home built in 1912 perched on a hill overlooking the Hudson River in Yonkers, New York. My entire vision for our wedding was sparked by the venue … I used to be an editor at Brides New York magazine, which is where I first came across Alder Manor and completely fell in love with its Downton Abbey-meets Grey Gardens-meets Great Gatsby glamour… the crumbling gardens, the wood paneled ballroom, the richly detailed library. Everything from my dress to the decor sprang from the inspiration the venue provided. We wanted everything to feel authentic to the mansion’s heyday. Our amazing vendors worked together to bring my vision to life—it turned out more beautifully than I could have ever dreamed!

My husband and I are originally from the Bay Area, but have lived in New York for several years— me for almost 13 and him for almost six. So our friends and family traveled from near and far to attend, some from as far away as Japan and England. While the wedding was fancy we didn’t want it to feel stuffy, so there were a lot of fun details woven throughout the day. As guests arrived at the ceremony, they were greeted with glasses of champagne. Pashminas were draped over the backs of chairs for guests to take if they got cold. Our ceremony was short & sweet, officiated by a longtime friend of my family’s who created a personal ceremony, and we wrote our own vows. A live jazz trio played for the ceremony and cocktail hour, and we used songs during the ceremony that had personal meaning to us, like “Georgia on My Mind” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” Immediately following the ceremony, we hosted a champagne toast and gave a speech thanking our guests and families for being there. Each champagne glass had a cocktail stirrer that doubled as an escort card — my sister and I made them all ourselves using wooden dowels, hot glue, and pieces of gold Christmas garlands. I downloaded fonts to match our invites from Smock Paper to create the tags.

I also semi-crafted our ring holder, using a vintage compact, and sewing navy velvet inside. My sister held on to the compact, but our ring bearer and flower girl were our dogs—our min pin, Alfie, and our pomeranian, Nico. Alfie tried to make a run for it as Jon’s cousin was walking them down the aisle, but she swiftly grabbed him!

My bracelet was vintage—a gift from Jonathan—and my earrings were my something borrowed from my sister.

We had a big wedding party—21 people! But they all were so amazing. My bridesmaids all chose their own dresses, and they did a fantastic job—they all looked so beautiful. Dinner was served across the manor’s ballroom and library, which are adjoining. Sides were served family style, and the entrees were served via French service, so everyone could try a little bit of each option. Everyone had a blast on the dance floor, our DJ totally killed it. We had two disco balls going just for fun. My favorite part was the confetti toss during “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey—it was the song that was playing when Jon and I first kissed. Everyone went wild as the gold confetti cannons went off.

It was such a magical evening and I couldn’t have done it without my amazing vendor team.

Photography: Millay & Young Photography | Videographer: Kiss The Bride Films | Wedding Planner: Brilliant Event Planning | Florist: Cristina Lozito Florals | Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham | Cake: Francois Payard Bakery | Invitations: Smock | Stationery: Hello Tenfold | Shoes: BHLDN | Catering: Chefs At Work | Hair And Makeup: Agata Helena | Calligraphy: Little Flower Calligraphy | DJ: DJ Gatsby | Favors: HeartBreaker Baker | Tuxedo: Michael Andrews Bespoke | Ceremony Music: Mind Open | Transportation: Silver Star Limousine | Guest Book: Flutterbye | Manor: Alder Manor | Photo Booth: Oh Snap Smile | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Rentals: Poppies And Posies

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Cinematography

Kiss The Bride Films

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There is so much to love about this Alder Manor wedding captured by The Melideos I don’t even know where to start. But maybe we should start with that stunning blush gown from Monique Lhuillier. It’s what wedding gown dreams are made of. Or maybe we should just sit for awhile to soak in the garden glam feel of the fête. Wherever you decide to spend your swooning energies, this gallery is one fabulous place to do so.

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From The Melideos…We were absolutely thrilled to head back to the east coast to one of our all-time favorite venues for Jane and Jeff’s gorgeous wedding. Alder Manor is a historic home in Yonkers, New York that had fallen into neglect for many years before being restored as an event venue. The entire property is in various stages of disrepair and it absolutely takes your breath away at every turn. Jane and Jeff had their ceremony among the fallen pillars in the sculpture garden, then headed into the opulent dining room for dinner, and ended in the grand ballroom for an all-night dance party. We had so much fun exploring the property with these two love birds, from the empty swimming pool to the restored library, all with their adorable little pup in tow. And we were dying over Jane’s gorgeous blush gown…just look at it on that stairway! Perfection. This wedding was full of sweet moments and we were so happy to share them with the bride and groom!

Photographer: The Melideos | Videographer: Ryan And Heidi Studio | Floral Design: Cut1 Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Shoes: Givenchy | Catering: Chefs At Work | Makeup Artist: Soo Kim | Makeup Artist: Jennifer Kang | Hair Stylist: Linh Nguyen | DJ: DJ Gatsby | Suit: Louis Purple | Wedding Venue: Alder Manor